KUALA LUMPUR, July 14 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today brushed aside calls for an early general election, urging rivals to allow his administration to complete its full term to safeguard economic growth and political stability.
He said voters wanted the government to focus on running the country rather than being drawn into continuous political campaigning.
“Give us the time under the mandate that we have until the election. Then we can fight it out. I have no problem with that,” Anwar said during the Prime Minister’s Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat.
He was responding to Hulu Terengganu MP Datuk Rosol Wahid (PN), who asked if a snap election should be considered amid regional geopolitical tensions and domestic political developments.
The current Parliament’s term can run until February 2028 unless dissolved earlier, but speculation over an early general election has grown following political strains within the unity government.
The speculation intensified after Barisan Nasional, a key partner in Anwar’s federal coalition, scored a major victory in the Johor state election, winning 48 of the 56 state seats while Pakatan Harapan secured eight.
The result has raised questions over the balance of power between the two former rivals, which joined forces after the 2022 general election to form the unity government.
However, Anwar said his administration should be allowed to focus on delivering its mandate instead of being distracted by general election speculation.